Battle of Falagountou

Battle of Falagountou
Part of Jihadist insurgency in Burkina Faso
Date January 28, 2023 Location Falagountou, Burkina Faso Result Indecisive
Belligerents
Burkina Faso VDP auxiliaries	Islamic State - Sahil Province
Casualties and losses
10 soldiers killed 2 VDP killed 5 injured 10 missing	15 killed
1 civilian killed

On January 28, 2023, suspected Islamic State jihadists attacked Burkinabe soldiers and Volunteers for the Defense of the Homeland (VDP) militiamen in the city of Falagountou, Burkina Faso.

Background

The Burkinabe government has been fighting a jihadist insurgency in northern Burkina Faso since 2015, when Ansarul Islam militants captured swathes of territory along the Burkinabe-Malian border.^[1] This escalated in 2017, when Malian jihadist group Jama'at Nasr al-Islam wal Muslimin allied with Ansarul Islam, and began fighting in Burkina Faso as well.^[1] In January 2022, Paul-Henri Sandaogo Damiba overthrew President Roch Kaboré due to the latter's inefficiency in fighting the jihadists. Damiba himself was overthrown that September by Ibrahim Traoré, who ramped up conscription of VDPs, pro-government militiamen.^[2] Traore has used VDPs as cannon fodder, with loose training that has seen many casualties.^[3]

On January 11, 2023, unknown jihadists attacked several VDP posts near Goulgountou before killing several civilians at the town's mosque. Burkinabe forces announced counter-terrorist operations in the area, which included most of Falagountou Department, following the attack.^[4] This counteroffensive recaptured most of Falagountou Department.^[5] The Islamic State – Sahil Province (ISGS) is active in the Falagountou area.^[6]

Battle

Jihadists attacked the VDP base in Falagountou on January 28, in preparation for an attack on the village on January 30.^[7] Clashes broke out between the jihadists and the VDP, along with the Burkinabe Army.^[8] The Burkinabe government stated that twelve people were killed in the attack, including ten soldiers and two VDP.^[7] One civilian was killed in the crossfire.^[7] The press release also stated that ten soldiers were still missing and five were injured.^[7] The Burkinabe government also claimed the deaths of fifteen jihadists.^[8][9]

Aftermath

No group claimed responsibility for the attack on Falagountou, although Burkinabe journalists suspected the Islamic State due to its presence nearby.^[6] On February 15, a Burkinabe army counteroffensive in the department arrested sixteen men in Ekeou village, and two more in Goulgountou, before summarily executing at least ten of them at the VDP base in Falagountou.^[10]

References

1. "Burkina Faso: Conflict and Military Rule". Congressional Research Service. September 28, 2023. Retrieved January 30, 2024.
2. ISSAfrica.org (2023-01-09). "Risks of Burkina Faso's new military approach to terrorism". ISS Africa. Retrieved 2024-01-30.
3. "Burkina Faso: Arming Civilians at the Cost of Social Cohesion? | Crisis Group". www.crisisgroup.org. 2023-12-15. Retrieved 2024-01-30.
4. Biedermann, Karol (2023-01-13). "Burkina Faso : 09 morts dans une attaque terroriste contre une mosquée". Sahel Intelligence (in French). Retrieved 2024-01-30.
5. M.M (January 31, 2023). "Burkina Faso: ten gendarmes, two army auxiliaries and a civilian killed in Falagountou". AL24. Retrieved January 30, 2023.
6. "Burkina : IB, religion et ethnie - leFaso.net". lefaso.net (in French). Retrieved 2024-01-30.
7. "Sahel: 10 FDS et deux VDP tombés à Falagountou, une quinzaines de terroristes tués (communiqué) | Quotidien Sidwaya". www.sidwaya.info. Retrieved 2024-01-30.
8. "Burkina Faso says 28 soldiers, civilians killed in rebel attacks". Al Jazeera. Retrieved 2024-01-30.
9. "Burkina Faso attack kills 13, mostly military, says army". Le Monde.fr. 2023-01-31. Retrieved 2024-01-30.
10. Human Rights Watch (2023-12-18), "Burkina Faso: Events of 2023", Share this via Facebook, retrieved 2024-01-30